At the western coast dock, Ardo strode at the front with his massive spiked club resting on his shoulder.
His heavy footsteps thudded against the wooden pier, echoing loudly.
Behind him followed more than twenty combat squad members, their eyes blazing with excitement.
"Boys! See that ship with the anchor flag? That's the one! Charge in, knock them all down! Loot everything, and the captain is mine!"
"OOOHHH—!"
The group rushed toward the medium-sized two-masted ship docked at Berth Three.
A few pirates on watch were yawning lazily. Seeing the approaching crowd, they froze for a moment.
By the time Ardo stepped onto the gangplank, one skinny pirate finally rubbed his eyes and spoke.
"Hey, hey—where are you guys from? It's early morning. Don't you know the rules—"
Then he slapped his forehead as if realizing something.
"Oh! I get it! You're here to join Captain Hawk's crew, right? You—"
BOOM—!!
Before he could finish speaking, Ardo swung his spiked club with a howling gust of wind.
The pirate flew through the air like a kite with its string cut, slamming into the ship's railing with the sickening crack of breaking bones.
"Too much talking!"
Ardo spat and stepped onto the deck.
"Knock them all down! Anyone who touches a weapon—break their hands! Anyone who glares—break their legs!"
"Enemy attack—!!!"
"Captain! Help! We're under attack!"
The deck instantly descended into chaos.
Sleepy pirates scrambled to fight back.
But against Ardo's elite combat squad, the battle was a complete one-sided massacre.
BANG!
The door of the captain's cabin burst open.
Iron Anchor Hawk rushed out, bare-chested with only a coat thrown over his shoulders.
His muscles bulged as he roared with fury, gripping a massive anchor-shaped weapon that matched his nickname.
Behind him, panicked cries of women echoed from the cabin.
"Which idiot dares cause trouble on my ship?! You got a death wish?!"
Hawk's eyes instantly locked onto the most obvious target on deck—
Ardo, the giant who was currently embedding Hawk's first mate into the deck planks.
"Finally decided to crawl out!"
Ardo grinned, kicking aside the unconscious first mate as he dragged his club around.
"Your 42 million bounty—I'm taking it! This is about my reputation!"
"Arrogant bastard—die!"
Hawk roared and swung his massive anchor weapon down with both hands.
That strike had smashed countless skulls and even shattered ship keels.
Ardo didn't dodge.
His muscles bulged as he swung his spiked club upward.
CLANG—!!!
A deafening metallic explosion rang out.
Sparks burst wildly where the weapons collided.
Hawk felt an overwhelming force surge up the shaft of his anchor.
His palms went numb.
His feet actually lifted off the deck as he staggered backward five steps before barely regaining his footing.
"H-How is this possible?!"
He stared at his trembling hands in disbelief.
His legendary strength had been completely overpowered.
"Not bad! But we're not done!"
Ardo gave him no chance to breathe.
He stepped forward, his club turning into a dark whirlwind raining down strikes.
Bone Crusher · Storm Flurry!
Shadow after shadow of the club descended.
Hawk had no choice but to desperately block with his anchor.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Each collision rang like a blacksmith's hammer.
His arms grew heavier and heavier.
The fourth strike—
As Hawk raised his anchor again, his stance faltered.
"Oh no—my legs are weak!"
The consequences of last night's "battle" with two bar girls until dawn finally caught up with him.
Ardo's battle instincts instantly seized the opportunity.
He twisted his wrist.
The downward smash turned into a sweeping strike.
BAM!
The club slammed into the side of Hawk's anchor.
The enormous force tore the weapon from Hawk's grip.
The anchor spun through the air, smashed through the ship's railing, and plunged into the sea.
Hawk himself staggered backward and crashed into the main mast.
Blood surged up his throat and sprayed from his mouth.
Before he could recover—
Ardo's club pressed against his forehead.
The cold metal froze him in place.
"Come on!" Ardo's eyes burned with battle frenzy. "Show me your real strength! Entertain me!"
Despair filled Hawk's face.
He knew.
He was finished.
At the dock, the commotion drew more and more attention.
"Run! Run! Pirates are fighting again!"
Street vendors abandoned their stalls and fled into alleyways.
"My god! That's Iron Anchor Hawk's ship!"
"Close the windows! Don't get caught in it!"
But pirates on nearby ships were excitedly watching the show.
"My god, Hawk can't even fight back! Who's that big guy?!"
"That's Bone Crusher Kate Ardo! An officer of the Jellyfish Pirates!"
"Predator Sami's crew?! Just one officer is this strong?!"
"I heard he's not even the strongest one. The strongest is Chaotic Sakura Theresa Marcus."
"Marcus? What's his bounty?"
"60 million! Five million higher than Ardo!"
A collective gasp spread across the ships.
At nearly the same time—
At Jaya's northern estuary harbor.
The waters were calm and misty.
A dozen small pirate ships floated quietly.
But on the deck of a ship with a beehive emblem, the atmosphere was thick with killing intent.
Marcus stood calmly.
Opposite him was a woman with a voluptuous figure, wearing clothing that barely counted as clothing.
Poison Bee Vera.
Though still attractive, the wrinkles on her face revealed her age.
Marcus suddenly chuckled.
"Hahaha…"
He licked his lips mockingly.
"Auntie, you're quite old already. Training with swords before sunrise dressed like that? Aren't you worried the sea breeze might hurt your back?"
"AUNTIE—?!"
Vera's face instantly turned green with rage.
"Watch your mouth! Women are always eighteen! You little pretty boy—today I'll tear that filthy mouth apart and feed you to the fish!"
Before her words even finished—
She lunged forward like a phantom.
Her twin daggers flashed with green poison light aimed at Marcus's throat and chest.
"Oh? Quite the temper."
Marcus's tone remained teasing, but his wrist flicked sharply.
CLANG! CLANG!
Two sparks flew.
His blade Chaotic Sakura deflected both strikes with elegant precision.
The force wasn't heavy—but the technique made Vera's wrists numb.
Missing her strike, Vera immediately changed tactics.
Her body twisted like a snake, daggers stabbing from impossible angles.
Even worse—
From her sleeves, waist, and boots, poison needles shot out.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Marcus's eyes sharpened.
Chaotic Sakura spun into a silver curtain.
Chaotic Sakura · Scattering Blossoms!
TING TING TING TING—!
Like rain hitting bamboo, the needles were all sliced out of the air.
They scattered across the deck.
"Your hidden weapons are impressive," Marcus said calmly while parrying another strike.
"But…"
He stepped forward into her guard.
"…you're too slow."
Vera's pupils shrank.
She tried to retreat—
Too late.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
Three cuts ripped across her chest armor.
The already minimal leather split apart, leaving three thin lines of blood across her pale skin.
"Ah!"
She cried out, fury blazing in her eyes.
Ignoring the wounds, she crossed her daggers and lunged straight at Marcus's abdomen.
A suicidal attack.
Marcus snorted.
He twisted aside just enough to avoid the blades.
Then his sword swept upward.
CLANG—SPLAT!
Vera's right-hand dagger flew from her grip and embedded into the mast.
Her left-hand dagger followed after Marcus kicked it away.
"Auntie," Marcus said coldly.
"Still want to continue?"
"Next time, I won't just cut your clothes."
At the harbor, pirates and brave locals gathered to watch.
"What's happening here too?!"
"That's Poison Bee Vera!"
"And she's fighting… Chaotic Sakura Marcus!"
"The Jellyfish Pirates again?! Are they trying to flip Jaya upside down today?!"
"Vera's bounty is 38 million, and she's getting completely suppressed… Are all the Jellyfish Pirates' officers monsters?!"
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